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Begin the Process
Discuss your idea with the Vice President of your division, then schedule a meeting with the Vice President for Advancement or the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations to discuss your project or idea for program support. They will help you develop and prepare your project or idea for presentation to external funding sources.
Identify Funding Agencies Interested in Your Subject Area
The Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations can help you identify potential sources of external funding. You will find links to private foundations at http://foundationcenter.org. For many projects and programs, Web sites, professional organizations, institutional consortia, list servers and newsletters provide information about funding opportunities and grant applications.
Complete the “Grant Project Approval Form”
Craft a brief narrative describing the project or idea for which you are seeking funding. Submit that narrative, along with a Grant Project Approval Form (which can be obtained from the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations) to the Vice President or Dean of your division for signature. Once signed, the Grant Project Approval Form slates your proposal (and its deadline) as a priority for the Advancement and Finance offices.
Develop the Formal Proposal
Successful grant-writers follow precisely the funding agency’s specific guidelines for proposal form, content and length; they also “translate” their intimate knowledge of their field into narratives that are meaningful to outside decision-makers. The Advancement Office will be happy to provide you with feedback about your proposal. Others at the college with expertise and experience in submitting competitive proposals can offer you specific guidance about your proposal’s goals, as well as that critical “non-expert” read to ensure that your proposal will be clear and persuasive to decision-makers who don’t share your professional background. Submit your draft proposal and the funding agency’s guidelines to the Vice President for Advancement or the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. They will provide feedback in a week to ten (10) days of receiving your materials, longer if reviews by others or outside resources are requested.
Develop a Budget
Grant budgets can be tricky to project because many “hidden” but significant costs come into play if you plan to hire student workers, if the project requires significant on-campus administration or if college “match” funds are involved. The Controller and the Vice President of Finance keep abreast of federal and state regulations that govern such expenses and requirements; meet with them early in your budget-projection process so they can help you take such costs into account. Additionally, the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations can assist you in presenting your budget in a manner that meets the funding agency’s requirements.
Complete the Grant Submission Process
All external grant proposals require particular “signatories” or signed authorizations for submission. Likewise, the College itself requires that key officers sign off on all grants prior to submission to an external agency. Take the following steps to ensure that your grant proposal is properly authorized prior to submission:
- At least forty-five (45) days prior to the funding agency’s submission deadline, send an electronic copy of your proposal and the funding agency’s submission guidelines to your Vice President or Dean. The proposal may require additional revisions before it is approved to move forward.
- After your Vice President or Dean approves your proposal, send copies electronically to all other required signatories: VP of Finance, VP of Advancement and Director of Information Technology Services. They review proposals to ensure compliance with legal matters, compatibility of new technologies and the like. They will respond with any concerns within ten (10) business days of receiving your proposal.
- Finally, provide the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations with both print and electronic copies of your final proposal, as well as the funding agency’s submission requirements. He will circulate a Ripon College Grant Submission Approval Form and the final proposal on your behalf to all required signatories. He then will submit your proposal to the funding agency along with a letter of support from the President.
Administering Grant Funds
When you receive notice that an external agency has approved your request for funding, immediately notify your Vice President or Dean, the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, and the Controller, so that they may begin the process of setting up the accounts you will need to administer your grant in accordance with college, funding agency and government requirements. If you receive notice that a grant proposal has been denied, please copy the written notification to your Vice President or Dean, the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, and the Controller.
Final Reporting
The funding agency likely will require you to submit interim and/or final reports about your project. Please follow the agency’s stated guidelines for such reporting and file copies of all reports with the funding agency, the Ripon College Business Office and the Director of Corporate and oundation Relations.
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